Walmart is transforming shopping with Sparky, a genAI assistant that synthesises reviews, offers occasion-based recommendations, and helps customers plan, compare and purchase with confidence.

With capabilities soon expanding to include reordering, service booking and understanding text, image, audio and video inputs, Sparky is being built as a true AI-powered retail companion, designed to simplify life and embed seamlessly into how people shop and live.

“A decades-long legacy of using technology to help people save money and live better continues as Walmart ignites the next evolution of retail with its genAI-powered shopping assistant, Sparky,” said Walmart senior vice president Desiree Gosby.

Starting this month, shoppers can experience Sparky across all categories via the smiling Ask Sparky button in the Walmart app. Sparky helps people search to find items and synthesise reviews, and offers insights to prepare for any occasion, from looking up current sporting events and finding the correct jersey to planning celebrations and picking out the right toy.

For example, all within the Sparky platform, a shopper can ask what sports teams are playing that night or check the weather at the beach they’re heading to, and get outfit recommendations.

“From answering product questions to comparing options, Sparky takes the guesswork out of shopping, making recommendations so customers can add to cart with confidence,” said Gosby. “Sparky provides instant and comprehensive answers to product-related questions, helping customers quickly understand specific features, compare items and make informed choices.”

Soon, Sparky will do more, giving shoppers the power to customise their experience, from automatically reordering household essentials to booking services that simplify complex shopping tasks. It will be multi-modal – able to understand text, images, audio and video – seamlessly weaving into customers’ lives to unlock instant access to the products and services they need, whenever and however they shop.

“Ultimately, Sparky will solve everyday problems, freeing up time for what matters most,” said Gosby.

For example, asking “What’s for dinner?” becomes a week of family-approved meal plans with ingredients automatically added to the shopping trolley. “How do I fix this leaky tap?” turns into step-by-step guidance with the right tools ordered for same-day delivery. “I need party ideas!” sparks a complete event planning session – theme, decorations, food and gifts – all personalised and coordinated within budget.

Sparky joins Walmart’s growing suite of AI-powered shopping capabilities, which currently includes search within the navigation bar, summaries of product reviews, product descriptions and product comparisons.

“Sparky is more than a feature, it’s a foundation for what’s next,” said Gosby. “Fuelling Walmart’s trajectory into the future of shopping, Sparky isn’t just revolutionising retail, it’s paving the way for a new and improved customer experience. And this is just the beginning.”

To find out more about Sparky, watch this video www.youtube.com/watch?v=h0d2F75dyug or visit www.walmart.com/cp/sparky/5291783.